August 12, 2020 at 6:30 PM - Regular Board Meeting

1. Call to order and verification that a quorum of Board Members is present, that this meeting has been duly called, and that notice of this meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551.

2. Pledge of Allegiance.

3. Prayer.

4. Audience.

5. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the Consent Agenda. [District Goals #1-5]

5.A. Minutes of the July 8, 2020 Regular Board Meeting and July 22, 2020 Special Called Meeting.

5.B. Finance & Operations.

5.B.I. Budget vs. Actual.

5.B.II. Check Register.

5.B.III. Quarterly Investment Report.

5.B.IV. Budget Amendments.

5.B.V. Student Transfer Requests.

6. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve with respect to order authorizing the issuance of West Independent School District unlimited tax school building and refunding bonds, series 2020; authorizing the levy of an ad valorem tax in support of the bonds; approving an official statement; authorizing execution of a bond purchase agreement, a paying agent/registrar agreement and an escrow agreement; and authorizing other matters related to the issuance of the bonds. Note: Mr. Bart Fowler, McCall, Parkhurst, and Horton LLP, and Mr. Dan Wegmiller, Specialized Public Finance, will present this agenda item. [District Goals #1-5]

7. Report. 2020-2021 West ISD Budget Workshop. [District Goals #1-5]

8. Report. 2020-2021 West ISD Tax Rate Proposal. [District Goals #1 and 5]

9. Report. 2020-2021 West ISD Return to Learn On-Campus and Remote Instruction and Health and Safety Plan Updates. Note: Mrs. Amanda Adams, Executive Director for Teaching and Learning, will assist with this agenda item. [District Goals #1-5]

10. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the 2020-2021 West ISD Return to Learn On-Campus and Remote Instruction and Health and Safety Plans. [District Goals #1-5]

11. Report. First reading of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Board Policy Update 115. Update 115 focuses on updating and reorganizing several policies in the FFE series addressing student welfare. FFEA continues to focus on counseling, and a new code, FFEB, focuses on mental health provisions. Several polices have also been revised to incorporate the new Title IX regulations, effective August 14, 2020, which define sexual harassment under Title IX and establish detailed procedures for how districts must respond to notice or allegations of sexual harassment. [District Goals #1-5]

12. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve Wednesday, September 16, 2020, and Wednesday, March 3, 2021, as the new Regular Board of Trustee Meeting dates for the months of September and March. Note: The reason for this request centers on the dates for the first day of school and Spring Break. [District Goals #1, 4, and 5]

13. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the updated Early Voting dates by proclamation of the Governor of Texas, October 13, 2020 through October 30, 2020, and an updated list of Election Day Vote Centers for the November 3, 2020, Joint General Election. [District Goals #4 and 5]

14. Report. House Bill (HB) 3 Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) West ISD Application Overview and Timeline Information. [District Goals #1 and 3]

15. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the 2020-2021 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Grades 6-12 Course Exemption List. [District Goal #1]

16. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the 2020-2021 Appointment of Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) Appraisers and Calendar and Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System (T-PESS) Appraisers. [District Goals #1 and 3]

17. Executive Session.  Adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to Texas Government Code §551.071 (Consulting privately with the Board’s attorney), §551.129 (Consulting privately with the Board’s attorney telephonically), §551.074 (Personnel, to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee, specifically to discuss), and §551.072 (Deliberating the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property).

17.A. Personnel Report.

17.B. District Property. 

18. Reconvene from Closed/Executive Session for possible action relative to items considered during Closed/Executive Session.

18.A. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the Personnel Report. [District Goal #5]

18.B. Action. Consideration and possible action by the Board to approve the amendments to the language in the Superintendent's Contract. [District Goals #1-5]

19. Report. Closing Remarks. [District Goals #1-5]

19.A. District Calendar Reminders. [District Goal #4]

19.B. Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Virtual txEDCON, September 30-October 2, 2020, Reminders. [District Goals #1-5]

19.C. Special Called Board Meeting on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 (6:30 PM; YouTube Live Stream), Reminder. Note: This Special Called Board Meeting is for the Public Hearing (and possible approval) on the 2020-2021 West ISD Budget and Tax Rate. [District Goals #1-5]

20. Adjournment.

If, during the course of the meeting, any discussion of any items on the agenda should be held in Executive or Closed Session, the Board will convene in such Executive or Closed Session in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code §551.001 et seq.

District Goal Headers:

Goal #1: Educational Excellence
Goal #2: Safe and Secure Schools
Goal #3: Recruit and Retain Committed Educators
Goal #4: Community and Parent Involvement
Goal #5: Efficient and Effective Operations